Which hydrangea blooms with green flowers. White on green

25.05.2019

If you plant in your garden hydrangea, then you will never regret it and be sure to fall in love with this plant , regardless of type and variety. Hydrangea will delight you with its unique charm all summer long, bringing calm and touching beauty to the garden.
The botanical name of the shrub is hydrangea, translated from Greek it means “a vessel with water” and speaks of a very important quality plants - increased moisture love. In Japan, the hydrangea is called "yearning for water." In spring and summer, its leaves evaporate a lot of moisture, and if there is little water in the soil, the bush will immediately wilt and then recover with great difficulty. Those who are going to grow hydrangea in their garden must remember this. And planting it is definitely worth it, since even one hydrangea bush can completely transform the garden, bring French charm and a classic note into it.

Hydrangea ( Hydrangea) belongs to the hydrangea family Hydrangeaceae) and includes, according to various sources, from 35 to 70 species. There are upright and climbing, deciduous and evergreen, frost-resistant and heat-loving, dwarf and tree-like hydrangeas. Widely cultivated species of the temperate zone are deciduous plants.

Atflowering conditionsI

Often you can hear complaints from flower growers that the hydrangea has not bloomed for many years. There may be several reasons. It is important to know and take into account all of them.
First what is important for flowering hydrangeas is a balanced diet. If you overfeed the plant with organic matter out of great love, you will not wait for flowering this year. Remember, it is better to underfeed than overfeed: nitrogen can be applied only in spring and in moderate doses, and then only potassium-phosphorus supplements.
Second- hydrangea blooms on last year's growths, usually from the upper buds. Namely, they are usually damaged by frost. Therefore, shelter for the winter is a must.
Third- hydrangea loves diffused sunlight, easily puts up with partial shade, grows even under the crown walnut. In sunny places, it will also take root, but flowering in this case will be short-lived, the petals will quickly burn out, and decorative effect will be lost.


	Hydrangea garden ‘Mariesii Perfecta’

And a few more important aspects. In order for the hydrangea to feel comfortable in our gardens, it needs loose, acidic soil rich in humus and nutrients. Hydrangea loves freedom and prefers spacious, bright or semi-shady places. And, of course, it must be provided with good watering, and the soil should be mulched with bark. coniferous plants or high peat.

Hydrangea pruning

Pruning is an important part of hydrangea care. All varieties of hydrangea respond very well to pruning, because. it promotes abundant flowering. Proper pruning hydrangea is to remove old inflorescences to the first pair of strong and healthy buds. In order to avoid excessive thickening of hydrangeas, in adult plants, several old, weak or too densely spaced branches are also cut under the root every year.
For abundant flowering treelike and paniculate hydrangeas an annual spring pruning is recommended, which should be done in the spring before bud break. If you are late with this, then the hydrangea does not develop well and sometimes it may not even bloom at all.


Hydrangea garden ‘Sibilla’	colorful hydrangea

Against, Gortensia garden almost uncut. Bushes should only be rejuvenated - every fourth branch is cut off from an overgrown bush every year, or damaged branches are cut. If you cut the branches (this typical mistake beginner gardeners), then you can have lush green hydrangea bushes, but without flowering. The only exceptions are the newest groups of varieties - ‘ forever& Ever‘ ® and ‘ You& Me‘ ®, which bloom on the shoots of the current year due to faster maturation of the branches.
Pruning hydrangeas in late autumn involves cutting off all the remaining inflorescences on the bush, this is done so that the branches are not broken by the weight of snow in winter.

Diseases and pests

Hydrangea is almost not affected by diseases and pests. However, in alkaline soils, they can be deficient in iron and magnesium, which are vital importance for the formation of chlorophyll in the leaves. Newly formed leaves may be almost white. In the old days, gardeners recommended burying iron objects (nails, horseshoes, tin cans) near pink hydrangeas, which should increase the iron content in the soil and eliminate the deficiency. In the modern arsenal there are more effective ways such as iron chelating or acidifying the soil with ferrous sulfate.

Types and varieties of hydrangeas

In our latitudes, the following species are of greatest practical interest: hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), hydrangea large-leaved (Hydrangea macrophylla),hydrangea paniculata (Hydrangea caniculata) and petiolate hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris).
Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
Hydrangea arborescens is a fast-growing shrub from 1 to 3 m tall, with a rounded crown and slightly drooping shoots. The upper side of the hydrangea tree leaf is green, the lower side is bluish. White flowers are collected in corymbose inflorescences up to 15 cm in diameter. Fruit box - up to 3 mm in size. Blooms profusely from three years. Flowering is long, from the first half of July to October. Hydrangea tree is demanding on the soil and its moisture.
This type of hydrangea has excellent frost resistance - up to -30 ° C. In the case of single frozen branches, they are easily restored and bloom profusely in the first year.
In garden design, the tree hydrangea is an architectural and exceptionally showy plant. It goes well with roses, clematis and lilies. Looks surprisingly good in tree-shrub compositions and in live unformed hedges.
Hydrangea‘ Annabelle ‘
Hydrangea arborescens‘ Annabelle‘
Hydrangea ‘ Annabelle‘ - a very spectacular flowering shrub, with huge, up to 20-25 cm, white inflorescences. It has a long, from July to October, flowering. Variety feature ‘ Annabelle‘ is the correct, hemispherical shape of the inflorescences and color change: when blooming, they are pale green, and then white.
Lighting requirement - partial shade, but hydrangea ‘ Annabelle‘ can grow in sunny places, as well as in the shade, with diffused lighting. Differs in winter hardiness, fast growth, exactingness to the soil and its moistening. It tolerates the presence of lime in the soil better than other species.
An adult bush has an almost regular spherical shape. The height and diameter of the crown of an adult plant is up to 2.5 m, although more often the height of this variety is up to 1.5-2 m. The crown is wide and spreading, very beautiful. The leaves are rounded, 8-15 cm, bright green on the upper side, lighter on the lower side. Autumn leaf color is green.


	Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’

Hydrangea macrophyllanand I, or garden (Hydrangea m acrophylls l a)
Hydrangeas are moist soil plants. Depending on the species, they are more or less dependent on the constant presence of moisture in the soil. The most demanding for moist soil and shading is garden hydrangea ( Hydrangeamacrophilla).
Under natural conditions, this plant is a perennial shrub up to 1 m tall, which blooms very profusely with large spherical inflorescences up to 20 cm in diameter. At the beginning of flowering, this species has a pale green color, and then acquires white, blue, pink, purple, red and purple colors. Garden hydrangea is not frost-resistant enough and often freezes in the climate of Ukraine, with the exception of the south of the country and Transcarpathia. If you carry out the warming of the plant for the winter with the help of agrofiber, then garden hydrangea will always delight you with abundant and long flowering.
The find of breeders was a group of varieties ‘ You& Me ‘ ® (frost resistance - up to -20°C), which have two wonderful qualities - a two-color flower in the inflorescence and the ability to bloom on the branches of the first year already in August of the first year due to the faster process of ripening of the branches. (photo No. 3) A group of varieties is also a real sensation ‘ forever& Ever‘ ®, which also blooms on the branches of the first year. This means that even if the entire above-ground part of the hydrangea of these two unique clusters freezes, beautiful, huge raspberry-pink inflorescences will already bloom on the new shoots that have risen in the spring in August.


Hydrangea garden ‘Freudenstein’	Hydrangea garden ''Blauer Zwerg''

Hydrangeas are wonderful, hardy shrubs that should definitely be on the top ten list. flowering plants in the world. Many of us remember the hydrangeas growing in our grandmother's gardens and think of them as old fashioned plants. Those old varieties did have one drawback - they were, as a rule, too tall and lanky. However, in recent years, breeders have developed some excellent new varieties that are more compact and suitable for smaller gardens.
One of these dwarf varieties is hydrangea. ‘Blauer Zwerg ‘ (sometimes sold as 'Lavblau‘ ). Its height is up to about 0.8-1 m. The flowers are spherical, 12-17 cm in diameter, cover the entire bush. The color of the flowers is from pink to bright blue, flowering time is June-July. Blooms on last year's shoots. (photo #12)
Hydrangea garden ‘Freudenstein ‘ - one of the tested varieties. Its height is up to about 1.2-1.5 m. The foliage is shiny, dark green all season. The flowers are spherical, 12-17 cm in diameter, completely cover the bush. The color of the flowers is from bright pink in alkaline soil to lilac-violet in acid soil. Flowering time - July-August, often longer. Blooms on last year's shoots.
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Gerda Steiniger ‘ - height up to about 0.9-1.2 m. The foliage is shiny, dark green all season. This variety is very popular due to the huge globular inflorescences that change color during the summer. Flower color ranges from rich pink in alkaline soil to blue and purple in acid soil. Flowering time: July - until the beginning of autumn. It also blooms on last year's shoots.

'Mariesii Perfecta ‘ (previously known as 'Blue Wave ‘ ) is a well-known and popular French variety, which is considered a perfect and classic example of hydrangea. It is a small, 1-1.5 m, deciduous shrub with glossy, light green leaves. From the beginning of summer, it is covered with a large number of umbellate inflorescences, evenly distributed over the crown. Each inflorescence is colored from lavender blue to light pink, depending on the acidity of the soil.
Hydrangea garden ‘Sibilla ‘ (synonym ‘Masja ‘ ). german variety garden hydrangea, characterized by later than the others, the timing of flowering. The bush is compact, up to 1.0-1.5 m high, with dark green shiny foliage. The inflorescences are spherical, large, 15-30 cm in diameter, color - from purple to dark pink, depending on the reaction of the soil, by the end of summer they can become greenish-pink.
Hydrangea paniculata (Hydrangea p aniculata)
Hydrangea paniculata is a shrub with a rounded dense crown, elliptical or ovate leaves up to 12 cm long. From above, the leaves are slightly pubescent, from below - much stronger, especially along the veins. Flowers in long broad-pyramidal densely hairy panicles - up to 25 cm long, honey-bearing. It blooms for a long time - from mid-June to October. The durability of the plant can be envied - in the literature there are references to 60-year-old bushes.
The most common varieties of paniculate hydrangea in Ukraine are ‘ Mathilda‘ , ‘ Kyushu‘ , ‘ Unique‘ , are characterized not only large flowers and long flowering, but also the presence of a pleasant aroma.

Hydrangea paniculata variety ‘ Wim's Red ‘ (picture on the left) immediately became a world sensation: it has a very large inflorescence - up to 30-35 cm in length, with a charming aroma of honey. But this is not all of its virtues. This variety of hydrangeas has inflorescences until the end of July. White color, in August they acquire a pink hue, and from September they become burgundy-red. The flowering period is very long - from mid-June to October. (photo #20)
Today, new for Ukraine varieties of hydrangea paniculata are also presented on the green market - ‘ Vanille Fraise ‘ ® , ‘ Bobo ‘ ® and ‘ Silver dollar ‘ .
inflorescences ‘ Vanille Fraise‘ ® have a beautiful and gentle combination tones - from white to deep pink at the same time on the bush in the summer. At the end of summer, they acquire a juicy pink-raspberry color.
Hydrangea paniculata‘ Grandiflora ‘
Hydrangea paniculata‘ Grandiflora‘
Everyone knows and very popular variety. With all the variety of varieties of panicled hydrangea, many gardeners prefer the old and proven variety. ‘Grandiflora‘ . It is grown in the form of a trunk or a bush with a rounded dense crown. Without pruning, the plant can reach 10 m in height. Usually the height of the plant is about 3 m, with the same crown width.
Differs in plentiful and long blossoming. Any one-year shoot of panicled hydrangea usually ends with an inflorescence, and it forms a lot of shoots. The flowers are creamy white when blooming, pure white in full bloom, then pink, greenish-red in autumn, collected in broad pyramidal inflorescences up to 30 cm long. Blooms 2-3 months, starting in July. Flowering is very plentiful - branches can fall to the ground under the weight of inflorescences.
Withstands very coldy, even if it freezes over, it soon recovers well. It is best to grow this variety in open sunny places, although it can grow in partial shade.
Used for mixborders, creating arrays, in single and group plantings, can be planted in beautifully flowering hedges. This bush will decorate the gazebo, it will look good at the entrance area; an excellent plant for thematic, for example, "white" gardens.

Hydrangea paniculata‘ Unique ‘
Hydrangea paniculata‘ Unique‘
A showy large shrub, valued for its huge cone-shaped panicles of creamy white flowers that appear in mid-summer. The flowers are white, pink when flowering, collected in large inflorescences up to 25 cm in size, have a pleasant aroma. Perfect for summer cut and winter bouquets. Flowering is abundant and long.
The height of the shrub is about 3 m, and the same diameter of the crown. The leaves are green in summer and autumn, large, 10-14 cm long. It grows very fast, frost-resistant, demanding on fertility, moisture and acidity of the soil. Optimal conditions are slightly acidic, fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Reaches the best development in sunny or semi-shady areas. Can also grow in the shade. For more abundant flowering, an annual spring pruning of shoots by 2/3 of the length is recommended.
One of the few shrubs that bloom from the second half of summer until late autumn, when there are few flowering plants left. Feels great in the city.
In landscaping, it is used to create wings, the background in compositions, it can form beautiful free-growing hedges. This variety can also be used for single landings on the lawn, for decorating large open spaces, as an element of tall large-scale mixborders.
Hydrangea paniculata‘ Kyushu ‘
Hydrangea paniculata‘ Kyushu‘
Differs in a large number of spectacular white inflorescences up to 30 cm in size, with a strong and pleasant smell. At the beginning of flowering, the inflorescences are white, but gradually become pink. Flowering is very long - from mid-July until frost. Branches of this variety of hydrangea can be used for bouquets, summer and winter.
Variety ‘Kyushu ‘ - a shrub up to 2-3 m high and with the same crown diameter, which has a fan-shaped shape. The leaves are dark green, glossy, easily distinguishable from other varieties on this basis. It grows very quickly, frost-resistant - up to -25 ° C, demanding on fertility, moisture and acidity of the soil. Optimal conditions are slightly acidic, fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Reaches the best development in sunny or semi-shady areas. For more abundant flowering, an annual spring pruning of shoots by 2/3 of the length is recommended.
Valued for long-term flowering, fast and active growth, stability in urban environments. Like ‘ Unique ‘ , used for planting in open spaces, creating powerful, tall mixborders or free-growing hedges.
petiolate hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)
Hydrangea petiolate is also called climbing or climbing. The birthplace of this wonderful hydrangea is Sakhalin and Japan. This species, unfortunately, is not yet very widespread in our gardens. But this is practically the only liana with large flowers and long flowering, which can grow in partial shade and at the same time bloom beautifully. This is a liana-like shrub with a mass aerial roots and suckers, with the help of which, attaching to the bark of trees and other surfaces, it climbs to a height of up to 25 m. In the absence of support, the petiolate hydrangea spreads along the ground. Inflorescences are white-cream, very large, up to 20 cm in diameter, fragrant, beautiful honey plants. Young seedlings in the first years build up the aerial part very slowly, and it is hard to believe what a giant hydrangea can become over time. But after three years, the plant is already rapidly growing its branches. Petiole hydrangea is not very demanding on soil fertility, prefers moist loam, but does not like stagnant water and waterlogging.
Climbing hydrangeas in vertical gardening must be regularly pruned to ensure balanced growth of branches in different directions - vertically and horizontally. To do this, it is necessary to observe the correct ratio of vertical growth and branching of plants. This is usually achieved by fairly intensive pruning. fast growing plants. In this case, it is necessary to guide and tie the stems to close the area of the wall, and cut the shoots growing from them to stimulate the formation of side shoots.

To make spherical inflorescences on lush foliage attract the eye, you canchange hydrangea color. How to do it, what to use and add — this article will tell. The result that can be achieved will not leave indifferent those around you. The most interesting thing is that the plant is not capricious and everything can be done with little effort and time.

Why does hydrangea change color

In order for this “beauty” to be different, the necessary conditions should be created. For change color from pink to blue or dark blue, from red to real purple or purple, you need to follow a number of rules. However, a tree-like hydrangea with white color cannot be used in the experiment. We need a garden (large-leaved) and then not only will there be a shadow in the garden, but among the plants it will be possible to notice the queen of the backyard territory with the naked eye.

The most important thing for the "princess" to change color is the reaction of the soil.

It can be acidic, alkaline and neutral. In the first variant of soil acidity, there will be blue or blue flowers, in the second and third - pink. substrate and a good place landings will the best helpers gardener. In addition, in order for the blue pigment to be produced in a greater or lesser amount, the presence of aluminum is necessary. It should be in a substrate whose pH is lower than the 5.5 mark.

That's why water the hydrangeashould be supplemented with aluminum. Moreover, in the soil it should give soluble forms that are available for absorption by representatives of the flora. This reaction occurs exclusively in an acidic substrate. With a neutral and even alkaline reaction, aluminum will be bound into compounds that are inaccessible to nourish the plant and directly affect color change .

If the gardener does not want to have exclusively pink inflorescences on a shrub, then it is necessary to purchase a substrate with an acidic reaction. You will also need aluminum sulfate (or other compounds thereof). In addition, it is constantly necessary to ensure that there is no phosphorus in the soil. It is he who does not allow aluminum to decay.

The sequence of actions for creating a blue tint of inflorescences

To change colorin blue or blue, you need to progressively perform several actions.

They are the following:

Measure the acidity of the soil, which should range from 5.0 to 5.5 pH (if the indicators are even higher, a purple tint will appear, if lower, it must be acidified by 20-30 cm with high-moor peat or agricultural sulfur, or even replaced with a different soil composition).
To maintain consistently low pH values, the plant must be watered regularly (watering on moist soil with a solution of aluminum sulfate or alum is best, while flowering, in a proportion of 500 g of dry aluminum sulfate per square meter half a square under a bush, at least 1 - 2 times a week, 10 - 20 liters each).
Mulch the soil with acidic materials (coniferous bark or high-moor peat) or add a solution of apple cider vinegar under the bush, spread grass around the plant.
Make sure that there is no expanded clay or marble chips on the ground nearby
Do not use superphosphates and bone meal.

Color change depends on the composition of the applied fertilizers. But it is important to remember the detrimental effect on the root system of a large amount of alum. Therefore, normalization and the correct dosage are the best "friend" in the process of care and influence on the color of the flowering of your favorite plant.

There is nothing easier than solving a logical problem on the topic:"how to make inflorescences" the “queen of the garden” has a delicate shade in pink tones. You won’t have to run with potassium permanganate, but it won’t hurt to make a little effort. Especially if before that the gardener specially fertilized the soil in order to obtain blue pigmentation of the hydrangea.

Her conditions will now be the same watering, but the soil pH is above 6.0 but below 6.5. You can not allow the shrub to receive less nutrients.

Too alkaline soil is harmful for hydrangeas.

If there is no iron and magnesium in the soil, chlorophyll in the leaves will cease to form. There is even a specific name for this process - interveinal chlorosis.

How do they changesoil with minimal cost experienced gardeners? Everything is simple: add chalk to it. In addition, you will need to add dolomite flour. It does not hurt to use fluff lime or grind limestone.

For large inflorescences and their rapid formation, nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers should be used, in which the amount of potassium is quite low. It was mentioned above that phosphorus, when reacting with aluminum, creates such compounds that the plant will not be able to absorb the metal in order to again paint flowers in blue shades. Often in this case, ammonium monophosphate is used.

You can even grow a rose-flowered beautyat homewhile she is still small size. It is enough just to transplant into a pot, container or any other large container for growing, and then install in big room or winter garden. The main thing is not to forget about the use of landless substrates. Peat does not contain aluminum, this should always be remembered by a novice and experienced gardener. Yes, and the regime under the slogan« pour hydrangea a couple of times a week, preventing the earth from drying out» it is easier to install if the plant is under the roof of the house.

two-faced beauty

What gives more saturated shades of blue or pink? If the hydrangea is already in bloom, you can not try to add additional dye additives. Can not be changing right at the time of flowering. Hue may vary.

And affect it:

environmental variability;
plant stress resistance;
instability of weather conditions.

If there is constant feeding with special fertilizers with aluminum, and the shrub does not turn blue, you should pay attention to the environment and buildings. If there is a concrete fence nearby, there are concrete slabs, there is a concreted path, then the fault is in the lime washed out by the rains from them.

Influence the acidity of the soil for hydrangeas - that's howyou can change the color on it, but it's a job that requires persistence and iteration. How to get blue from a pink-flowered shrub is said above. But as practice shows, the same solution of aluminum alum at the rate of 5-10 g per 1 liter of settled or rain water can be obtained from dark pink shades - lilac, from red - purple."Creative" gardeners claim that such top dressing can be changed to old nails stuck into the ground, or"fertilizer" soil with iron filings.

thinking in order for it to stand in two shades at once, you need to know a few rules described above.

Soil with different acidity indicators will become the basis for achieving the goal of ensuring two-color on one bush.

The main task is not to forget to feed the hydrangea so that it has the strength to bloom for a long time and magnificently.

Now any reader of this article knows. This " moody flora chameleon» can "obey" the actions of only a competent specialist.

Hydrangea one of the most beautiful flowering shrubs. Lush spherical inflorescences, behind which foliage is almost invisible, cannot but attract admiring glances. And thanks to the relative non-capriciousness of hydrangeas, they will decorate even a neglected garden.

By the color of hydrangea inflorescences, you can determine the acid-base reaction of the soil on which it grows. On soils with a slightly alkaline and neutral reaction, plants will bloom pink flowers, on acidic soils - blue and even blue. And if you take care in advance to prepare the appropriate substrate and choose the right place to plant the shrub, you can get the desired color of the flowers. But in fact, the color of hydrangea flowers depends not only on the variety and soil pH. These plants need aluminum to produce the blue pigment. So a key factor in changing the color of the inflorescences is the presence of aluminum in the substrate. Most garden soils have adequate aluminum, but it will not be available to plants if the soil pH is high (above 5.5). The aluminum compounds present in the soil in an acidic environment are converted into soluble and available forms for plants. The aluminum is absorbed by the shrub, resulting in a blue flower. In neutral or alkaline soil, aluminum remains bound to insoluble compounds that are inaccessible to plants. The result is natural pink flowers. Thus, to obtain a hydrangea with blue inflorescences, you need two of the most important factors- acidic substrate and aluminum salts (usually aluminum sulfate).

There is one more nuance - phosphorus easily binds aluminum into hardly soluble compounds that are inaccessible to hydrangeas. In order to provide enough free aluminum for flowers, the phosphorus level must be kept to a minimum.

To get a rich blue tint, you need to do the following:

Measure the pH of the soil, it should be between 5.0 and 5.5. Only with such indicators, aluminum salts will become available for hydrangeas. Higher pH values will result in transitional colors with hints of purple. If the soil in the garden is neutral or alkaline, it is necessary to artificially acidify it in the root zone to a depth of 20-30 cm or replace the soil in the planting hole with previously prepared acidic soil. It is possible to acidify non-carbonate soil to pH 5.0-5.5 with high-moor peat or agricultural elemental sulfur before planting hydrangeas. Subsequently, a low pH is maintained by regularly watering the plant with a solution (15 g/l) of aluminum sulfate throughout the growing season. Do not water dry soil, moisten it well with clean water beforehand.

Purchase aluminum sulfate or potassium alum. It is recommended to apply dry aluminum sulfate in the following proportions: up to 0.5 kg of dry aluminum sulfate per 1 m². Or dissolve alum or aluminum sulfate in water and water the bushes once every one to two weeks, but not less often. At the same time, observe the proportions: 30-40 g of sulfate or alum should be taken per bucket of water. The norm for one adult bush is two or three buckets. Otherwise, the color will change partially.

To increase acidity, mulch the soil near the hydrangea with acidic materials - high-moor peat, coniferous bark. Do not use marble chips, expanded clay. Can be applied under the bush diluted Apple vinegar, sawdust, chopped grass.

The applied fertilizer also affects the color change. Fertilize with acidic compound fertilizers that are low in phosphorus, high in potassium and medium in nitrogen, with a N:P:K ratio close to 10:5:20. Do not use superphosphate and bone meal, which are sometimes used for more lush blooms.

It is important to know that too a large number of the introduced alum can cause the death of the roots, so do not strive for a quick effect and follow the norms when diluting the solution.

The pink color of the hydrangea appears with a decrease in the acidity of the soil.

A hydrangea will produce pink flowers if it fails to form a blue pigment, which requires aluminum. This means that the aluminum in the soil must be converted into a form inaccessible to plants. To do this, the pH of the soil must be above 6.0. If the value is above 6.5, the plant may suffer from a lack of nutrients. It is not necessary to strive for the soil to be really alkaline, this is harmful to the plant itself. In alkaline soils, hydrangeas will be deficient in iron and magnesium, without which the formation of chlorophyll in the leaves is impossible. This manifests itself as interveinal chlorosis.

Add dolomite flour, chalk, fluff lime, or ground limestone to raise soil pH to 6.0-6.5. If the acidity is too high, they need to be applied several times a year.

To maintain intense color pink feed the bushes with fertilizers with a fairly high content of nitrogen and phosphorus, but low levels of potassium. Phosphorus forms insoluble chemical compounds with aluminum, and the metal is not absorbed by the plant. Choose a type of fertilizer with an N:P:K ratio close to 25:10:10. Ammonium monophosphate (11:53:00) can be used.

In some cases, the soil throughout the area is very acidic, then it is more convenient to grow pink hydrangea in individual pots or containers, filling them with landless substrates, for example, peat. There are practically no aluminum compounds in peat. In such containers it is much easier to maintain the regime necessary for the plant.

Plants that require acidic soil (rhododendrons, azaleas) should not be grown next to the pink hydrangea.

When your hydrangeas turn blue or pink, adding more soil additives will not help deepen the color. Color may vary from season to season due to weather, plant stress and environment. For example, plants planted near a concrete foundation or a concrete path may never turn blue due to lime leaching out of the concrete.

It should be borne in mind that the color change of the hydrangea occurs as the plant develops and matures, therefore, by planting, for example, pink hydrangea in acidic soil, you will be able to see blue inflorescences only after a few years.

Candidate of Biological Sciences A. KUKLINA, Candidate of Pharmaceutical Sciences I. SOKOLSKY. Photo by A. Kuklina, N. Domrina, N. Zamyatina, N. Mologina.

Of the trees and shrubs at the end of summer, almost nothing blooms, except perhaps hydrangea. Delicate inflorescences of this beautiful plant decorate the gardens until late autumn.

Science and life // Illustrations

A LITTLE HISTORY

The plant, popular with gardeners all over the world, got its name through the efforts of the participants in the first French round-the-world expedition led by Louis-Antoine de Bougainville: the French physician and naturalist Philibert Commerson and the future Russian Admiral Nassau-Siegen.

Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Karl-Heinrich of Nassau-Siegen (1745-1808) at the age of 20 voluntarily went to accompany Bougainville in his world tour. Later, he met His Serene Highness Prince Taurida, Field Marshal G. A. Potemkin and was invited to the Russian service. Commanding a rowing flotilla in the Black Sea with the rank of rear admiral, he repeatedly defeated the Turkish fleet. He took an active part in the war against the Swedes in 1789 and 1790. Being at the head of the fleet, he won several victories over the Swedes, but at the end of June 1790 he was defeated at Svensksund and after a series of military failures, in 1794, he resigned. He settled near the Ukrainian city of Nemirov, where he died.

Long before this sad event, on November 7, 1768, the Bougainville expedition arrived on the island of Mauritius in Indian Ocean. The crew went ashore for a long rest. Commerson, having settled in the luxurious estate of the manager of the island of Poivre, spent quite a lot of time in the company of military engineer Jean-Henri Bernarder de Saint-Pierre, who was fond of not only botany, but also Madame Poivre. This beautiful young woman always wore airy outfits and loved flowers, in both cases she preferred white, pink and blue. One day, the engineer took the Parisian scientist to that part of the park where an unknown shrub grew, covered with flowers, from which he made bouquets for the woman he loved. The plant, recently brought from China, was covered with pink or blue balls during flowering. Commerson immediately realized that in front of him was a shrub unknown in Europe, and decided that he should be given the name of the engineer's beloved. But on that day, Nassau-Siegen took part in their walk. The young prince enthusiastically talked about his sister, the beautiful Hortense, and showed her a miniature portrait. Commerson quickly realized that he had the opportunity to distinguish himself, and immediately suggested that this Chinese flower be named after a distant princess. So, ironically, the flower, instead of being called "poivrie", became "hydrangea".

It was later that European botanists-systematists renamed the plant, giving it the name Hydrangea macrophylla(Hydrangia large-leaved) and deriving the generic name from the Greek words hydro- water and angeion- a vessel, emphasizing that the plant belongs to moisture-loving. But gardeners around the world still call it the name of Princess Hortense, sometimes adding the epithet "French" in memory of what the Western world learned about this plant thanks to the first French expedition around the world.

THE MOST RELIABLE HYDROANGIAS

Most types of hydrangeas are so thermophilic that they can only grow in the south. Only a few species of this plant are suitable for gardens in central Russia; they can be recommended for growing in open field.

Hydrangea tree-like is famous for its good winter hardiness ( Hydrangea arborescens), originating from the eastern regions of North America. It can freeze only in severe winters, but the plant recovers quickly, especially if you help it with timely pruning and top dressing. Tree hydrangea grows quickly and reaches 1.5-2 m. The bush is upright, with a rounded crown, large leaves (15 cm long) and sterile white or white-cream flowers, collected in hemispherical inflorescences-scutes up to 25 cm in diameter. Tree hydrangea blooms from the second half of July to the beginning of autumn. The number and size of inflorescences depend on skillful pruning. In autumn, the color of the leaves does not change.

Tree hydrangea tolerates the presence of lime in the soil better than other hydrangeas, but, like other species, it is demanding on soil fertility and moisture.

Particularly beautiful varieties of hydrangea tree Grandiflora ( Grandiflora) with large pure white hemispherical inflorescences and Sterilis ( Sterilis), sprawling shoots of which with massive caps of inflorescences, consisting exclusively of barren flowers, lean to the very ground.

AT middle lane Russia grows well and has a special winter hardiness paniculate hydrangea ( H. paniculata). Her homeland is Japan and China, where she reaches gigantic proportions - ten meters in height. This plant is found in the wild and in Russia - on Sakhalin and the South Kuril Islands, near rivers, on the edges and well-lit slopes. When grown in a temperate climate, panicle hydrangea forms a dense rounded crown up to 2 m high. The leaves are oblong (up to 12 cm long), velvety to the touch, grayish-green in color. In July-August, large pyramidal panicles up to 20 cm long and 15 cm in diameter appear on young shoots of the current year, strewn with sterile white-cream flowers interspersed with greenish fruitful ones. Fragrant inflorescences attract a lot of bees. Over time, marginal white-cream flowers turn pink or become greenish-red; at the end of September fruits-boxes ripen.

Of all the hydrangeas, this species is the most resistant to air pollution and waterlogging of the soil, but it is demanding on moisture and prefers partial shade.

The most decorative variety of hydrangea panicled Floribunda ( Floribunda) with pyramidal white inflorescences of large sterile flowers on long pedicels.

No less attractive ground cover hydrangea ( H. heteromalla), originating from the mountain forests of northern China. The winter-hardy Bretschneider variety is especially resistant ( Bretschneideri), which in Russia is considered a species and is called Bretschneider's hydrangea. The height of the shrub is more than 2-3 m. The shoots are sprawling and quite decorative even in winter time due to its reddish-brown color and bark exfoliating in thin strips. The leaves are dark green, up to 12 cm long, oval, pointed at the top, serrated; bloom late - in mid-May. At the end of June, white umbrella-shaped inflorescences appear at the ends of the shoots, consisting of small fruit-bearing white flowers, along the edges of which there are large sterile flowers. After two or three weeks, these flowers turn pink, and later turn crimson. In very severe winters, the ends of the shoots may freeze slightly, which does not affect the development of the entire bush.

Ground cover hydrangea is relatively unpretentious and, unlike other species, has a high drought tolerance.

Another unusual shrub comes from China - hydrangea Sargent ( H. sargentiana). Unlike previous species, this plant is less winter-hardy, its aerial part freezes over annually, but new shoots up to one meter high grow during the season. Young shoots of Sargent's hydrangea are dark red; growing up, they become faceted, rigidly pubescent. Blooming leaves are pink in color, adults are dark green, oval in shape, with a pointed top. In July, large inflorescences-scutes up to 15 cm in diameter appear from thick bristly buds. Small purple flowers are located in the center of the inflorescence, large white flowers along the edge. In October, in warm autumn, seeds ripen in pods.

Planting Sargent's Hydrangea open places with moist soil. For the winter they cover with spruce branches.

Original petiolate hydrangea ( H. petiolaris). With the help of air sucker roots, the plant is able to cling to supports and turns from a low creeping shrub into a liana. In this, the petioles of the leaves also help him, on which the vine also relies, rising to a height of 2.5-3 m.

In the middle lane, petiolate hydrangea is not very winter-hardy; in young bushes, the tips of the shoots may freeze, so they need shelter for the winter. In open areas, the plant blooms in July with large white flowers collected in horizontal shields.

Petiole hydrangea loves the sun and warmth in combination with drained fertile soils and does not tolerate waterlogging at all.

And finally, the most famous hydrangea is large-leaved hydrangea ( H. macrophylla), it is often called garden hydrangea. At home - in China and Japan - this beautiful shrub with jagged bright green shiny leaves on erect shoots can reach 4 m; when cultivated under less favorable conditions, its height is much lower.

On the territory of Russia, large-leaved hydrangea can be grown as indoor plant or use as a container culture which is kept on outdoors only in summer time of the year.

More than 100 different varieties of large-leaved hydrangea with large caps of inflorescences are known. various shapes and coloration, reaching 25 cm in diameter.

HOW TO CARE FOR HYDENSIAS

All hydrangeas are photophilous and prefer open, lit places, but do not like the bright sun. They can also be in conditions of light penumbra, however, the less light, the later flowering occurs and the fewer inflorescences, their more modest size. Since the shoots of the hydrangea are fragile, and the inflorescences are very heavy, they plant the plants in a place protected from the wind. The soil is preferably slightly or medium acidic (pH 5.5); one of the compositions: sheet, sod land, peat and sand in a ratio of 1:1:1:1. On alkaline soil, hydrangea suffers from chlorosis (leaves begin to turn yellow), which is easy to fix by watering the bush once every 10 days with a solution of salts containing iron.

The best time to plant hydrangeas is early spring. Two to three weeks before planting, a hole is prepared 50-70 cm wide, 40-50 cm deep with loose fertile soil in a mixture with peat of medium acidity. In the future, every spring, a little humus and peat are introduced. The root neck after planting should be at ground level. A newly planted bush is watered abundantly, and the trunk circle is mulched with peat.

It is useful to water the hydrangea once a month with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, which strengthens plant tissues. She also loves watering slurry. From fertilizers, only physiologically acidic fertilizers (ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate) can be used in spring and in the first half of summer, and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (superphosphate) at the end of summer and autumn. Two or three buckets of nutrient solution are poured under an adult bush.

Hydrangea does not tolerate drought well, but excess moisture is also harmful. In other words, for good development This plant needs constant soil moisture.

Until 3-4 years, hydrangea bushes do not form, then in the spring they are pruned annually. Hydrangea paniculate and tree-like flower buds are formed on the shoots of the current year, with the largest ones located in the middle and lower parts of the bush. In the spring, the shoots are shortened by two-thirds, leaving three to five pairs of buds. At the same time, old, weak and crown-growing branches are removed "on the ring".

Hydrangea paniculata can also be formed in the form of a tree on a low trunk. To do this, a two-year-old seedling is left with one of the most powerful shoots, all the rest are completely cut out. The following year, this shoot is shortened to the strongest bud. Of the shoots that have grown on it in a year, only two or three are left. The shoots that have developed on them the next year are cut into two or three eyes. So form a tree for 8-10 years.

In petiolate and groundcover hydrangeas, long shoots are slightly shortened in spring, as a result, they branch better and bloom profusely. Several of the strongest shoots are selected from the annual growth for subsequent replacement of the old ones, weak shoots are removed "on the ring".

In large-leaved hydrangea, flower buds are laid at the ends of last year's shoots. In the spring, only last year's inflorescences are pruned, as well as small and dried shoots.

To protect the hydrangea roots from overheating and retain moisture, the trunk circles are mulched. wood chips, bark or peat. The mulch is scattered in an even layer 7-10 cm thick, either along the projection of the crown, or beyond it by 15-20 cm. As it decomposes, this substrate will become part of the soil and acidify it to some extent. The best time making mulch - late spring, when the soil is still sufficiently moist, but already well warmed up. In autumn, mulching is carried out after the onset of a period of stable negative temperatures.

Hydrangea is propagated most often by green cuttings, which are taken when the shoots become flexible, but not yet woody. "Unripe" shoots break when bent, "mature" shoots bend freely. Cuttings are cut from the apical part of the shoots of the current year. Each cutting should have one or two internodes. lower leaves removed, the top cut in half.

The best time for successful rooting of cuttings is the flowering period (mid-July). It is possible to cut the hydrangea even before flowering, in June, but in this case, cutting the cuttings, they retain a small part of last year's shoot, the so-called heel. Then the cuttings are powdered with root or heteroauxin (root formers) and planted in a light, moisture-absorbing substrate from high-moor peat and well-washed coarse sand in a ratio of 2:1. To increase the moisture capacity, chopped sphagnum moss can be added to the substrate. Sand is poured on top with a layer of 2 cm. When planting, the cuttings are deepened into the substrate by 2-3 cm, placing them at a distance of 3-5 cm from each other with a slight slope, and covered with a film or glass jar. At a temperature of 16-20 ° C and slight shading, the cuttings take root in three to four weeks.

You can propagate hydrangea by dividing the bushes or by horizontal layering. In spring or autumn, the bush is dug up, divided into two or three parts in such a way that at least two or three renewal buds remain on each division. For propagation by horizontal layers in the spring, before bud break, last year's shoots are bent to the ground and fixed with soft wire in a pre-prepared hole so that part of the shoot with buds is underground. The hole is covered with earth, leaving the apical part of the shoots outside (about 20 cm). When young shoots reach a length of 15-20 cm, they are spudded, falling asleep one third with earth. Autumn or spring next year rooted shoots are separated from the mother bush, planted in a permanent place and shaded for the first time.

Details for the curious

HYDRANIA FLOWERS

Hydrangeas have two types of flowers. Some have large petals and undeveloped, almost imperceptible stamens and pistils. More precisely, these are not even flowers, but brightly colored overgrown petal-shaped sepals. Such flowers are not capable of setting seeds, their purpose is to decorate plants and attract pollinating insects. They are either located along the edge, forming a bright border (see photo), or scattered throughout the inflorescence.

Flowers of a different type are found in many types of hydrangea in the middle of the inflorescence. They are called fertile; they are much smaller in size, differ in color from sterile flowers and there are many of them. These true flowers set seeds and lose their almost invisible petals. The colored sepals remain on the branches all winter.

HYDRANIA IN THE ROOM

Large-leaved hydrangea grows well indoors. At the end of September, the pot with the plant is moved to a dark and cool place or to a windowsill, under which there is no battery. The plant is occasionally watered - as the earth dries up, but not allowing it to dry out (usually 2-3 times a month). The optimum wintering temperature is not higher than 6-8 ° C, although this hydrangea can winter at higher temperatures.

In January-February, when leaves appear, watering is increased, and with the development of buds, the plant is fed with complex fertilizer. By May, the first inflorescences appear on hydrangeas. Annually after flowering, large-leaved hydrangea requires a transplant.

HYDRANIA IN A VASE

In order for the cut hydrangea inflorescences to remain fresh longer, the ends of the shoots are split and burned, and the leaves are removed.

For dry bouquets, shoots of panicled or tree hydrangeas are cut off at the end of flowering, in September, the leaves are cut off and dried, hanging upside down in a dark, ventilated room - this way it is possible to preserve the natural color of the inflorescences.

When composing a composition, it is good to add dried sprigs of transparent mother-of-pearl lunaria to the white flowers of hydrangeas.

Hydrangea (especially large-leaved) can not only be dried, but also "preserved" with glycerin. A canning solution is prepared from 6 parts glycerin and 4 parts very hot water. Freshly cut branches with leaves and inflorescences are cut under water, the tips of the stems are split and placed in the solution, immersed by 4-5 cm. From time to time the solution is topped up. Conservation ends in two to four weeks. As a result of this procedure, the leaves and stems acquire elasticity and slightly change their color.

Of course, the hydrangea is beautiful in itself, its lush inflorescences always attract admiring glances. But sometimes the same type of flowering is boring. After learning that with the help of fertilizers you can change the color of the buds ornamental shrub I immediately began to study this issue. Indeed, some varieties of hydrangeas can change color under the influence of certain substances and "play" with the acidity of the soil.

Not every hydrangea can become a participant in the "color" experiment. Paniculata varieties do not change the shade of their petals, and among tree-like shrubs there is only one species that can change the color of its inflorescences. Therefore, if you want to decorate the site different colors, purchase hydrangeas of different bred varieties.

Only large-leaved hydrangea can radically change the color of inflorescences. This is explained by the high content of specific elements in the cells - anthocyanins, which sensitively react to the level of soil acidity and aluminum salts present in the soil. I will describe the mechanisms of their interaction in more detail below.

The main "trick" is that it is possible to change the color of the petals of the large-leaved hydrangea only if you have a "colored" variety planted on your site. If your shrub has always bloomed white, then no amount of experimentation will help you - they will only lead to disturbed soil PH and the risk of losing the plant. If at one time you purchased a pink or blue hydrangea, but immediately or after a few years it lost its saturation of shades, it makes sense to look for a way to change the color of the petals on the inflorescences.

How can you influence the shade of inflorescences?

So, special substances - anthocyates - are responsible for changing the shade of the petals. These elements are dissolved in the cell sap and freely react with the ions entering the plant. In a neutral environment, anthocyates are at rest, in an alkaline environment they change their color to red-pink, in an acidic environment they acquire bluish hues.

In addition to the level of soil acidity, the saturation of the shades of the petals and their color is affected by aluminum - it is the ions of this metal that give a luxurious blue color to the inflorescences of an ornamental shrub. In dyeable hydrangea varieties, there is a special pigment delphinidin 3-monoglycosite, which increases the amount of absorption of aluminum ions.

The two listed factors are closely interrelated: in acidic soil, aluminum is dissolved in a form available to plants, in alkaline soil, phosphorus molecules neutralize ions of this metal. Thus, in order to achieve lush blue or blue inflorescences from your hydrangea, it is necessary to oxidize the earth as much as possible on the root circle, and also provide the shrub with specific fertilizers that contain aluminum.

Ideally, hydrangea should be planted in a permanent place by filling the planting hole with an acidic substrate - for example, soil mixed with fresh sawdust, or riding peat. If the shrub has been growing on the site for a long time, you can lower the PH of the soil in one of the following ways:

mulch the root circle with needles;
spill the earth with a solution of ammonium chloride;
regularly feed the hydrangea with a solution of urea;
spill the root circle with ammonium nitrate.

Before proceeding with these manipulations, you need to make sure that the soil really needs acidification. You can do this with the help of litmus papers, which are sold in garden stores. For comfortable growth, hydrangeas need a pH below 5.5. In addition, to obtain blue shades of inflorescences, it is necessary to enrich the soil with compounds that include aluminum.

To obtain inflorescences of pink-red tones, the soil around the ornamental shrub must, on the contrary, be deoxidized. For this, alkaline compounds and top dressings are used, with which the soil around the trunk circle should be regularly spilled, controlling its acidity with the help of litmus papers. It is dangerous to get carried away with soil deoxidation, because hydrangeas love an acidic environment - in uncomfortable conditions, the shrub will begin to hurt and wither.

When to start exercising?

If the idea to change the color of the hydrangea occurred to you during its flowering, you are too late. Shedding the near-stem circle of the shrub should begin during the period of laying peduncles and intensive plant growth - that is, from early spring.

Work on changing the color of hydrangeas should be regular and thorough. The start of the "experiment" should ideally occur before sap flow, while manipulations with compositions and dressings last all summer, unless litmus tests show that you have reached a critical PH level that can become uncomfortable and dangerous for the shrub.

Hydrangea color change

It is possible to give light semitones to hydrangea inflorescences without a large investment of effort. The color change will be temporary, and only the veins of the petals will be painted in the new colors.

To color the hydrangea in pink tones, the trunk circle should be watered with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.
A solution of ferrous sulfate (1 tsp per 7 liters of water), with regular watering, will give a beautiful purple tone to the petals of the inflorescences. The digging of metal shavings under the shrub also leads to a similar shade.
A weak solution of alum will give the hydrangea inflorescences a noble blue hue.

However, such measures are not enough for the inflorescences to acquire a bright and saturated color. In this way, you color only the veins near the petals, while the color can turn out to be uneven and a little sloppy.

blue hydrangea

Obtaining a noble blue and of blue color Hydrangea inflorescences are troublesome. First you need to measure the PH of the soil under the shrub and make the necessary manipulations to acidify it. At a level above 5.0, it is required to add high-moor peat to the ground around the plant with a layer of at least 20 cm or shed it with a solution of agricultural sulfur according to the instructions.

Having achieved the desired PH values, do not stop - constantly monitor the level of soil acidity and, if necessary, spill the earth around the bush with a solution of aluminum sulfate (500 g of powder per 1 sq.m., 20 liters of water per 1 plant) twice a week. Also, to maintain the results achieved, it is recommended to mulch the near-stem circle of the hydrangea with needles or fresh sawdust.

Gardeners use superphosphate to get lush hydrangea inflorescences, but now this fertilizer will be banned for you. For the summer period, select other compounds, low in phosphorus and high in potassium.

You will learn more about changing the color of hydrangeas and what measures should be taken to maintain the achieved decorative result from the following video:

pink hydrangea

To get pink hydrangea flowers, you first need to measure the pH of the soil. Ideally, it should be in the range of 6.0-6.5: with these indicators, the shrub still feels comfortable, but its root system cannot absorb aluminum salts.

If the soil is acidic, it can be carefully, without excessive enthusiasm, deacidified with lime, dolomite flour or ground limestone. The main thing is not to overdo it, since a highly alkaline environment will lead to hydrangea diseases - in particular, to chlorosis.

After reaching the desired soil pH, you will need to constantly maintain the resulting level. For this, fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus are traditionally used. The use of these elements will positively affect the health of the plant, as well as the size of the inflorescences.

To keep your hydrangeas doing well during your "color" experiments, follow these guidelines:

Do not get too carried away with the process of repainting hydrangeas: changing the PH level of the soil is quite stressful for the shrub. If you want to enjoy different colors of inflorescences every year, plant several bushes on the site at a certain distance from each other.
Constantly monitor the PH level of the soil around the bush and do not overdo it with acidity indicators.
If you do not want to conduct experiments in the open field due to the fact that other shrubs and plants grow next to the hydrangea that cannot tolerate acidic or alkaline soil, plant decorative bushes in large flowerpots. In an isolated container, you can safely experiment without fear for the health of other crops.

The process of repainting hydrangeas is troublesome and not always successful. Only those who can change the color of their inflorescences large-leaved varieties, which are prone to having shades of petals. Unfortunately, other types of hydrangeas cannot be repainted.